Provincial Education Officers are participating in a workshop aimed at expanding TVET programs in Papua New Guinea.
The meeting is an initiative by education planners to identify areas where TVET programs can be extended to.
And to encourage school leavers to take up vocational or technical studies after Grades 8, 10 and 12.
At least 14 Provincial Education Officers are attending this 2-day Strategic Planning and Consultative Workshop.
Its objectives include the building of Vocational Centres in each of the 89 districts, constructing Vocational Technical High Schools in each province and establishing Technical Colleges in each of the 22 provinces.
TVET stands for Technical and Vocational and Education Training and is a significant sector in the Education Department.
Unlike the mainstream path where students continue to Grades 9, 11 or Tertiary Institutions, TVET is more to do with hands on training and practical skills.
What this workshop is focusing on is to develop strategies to increase access to TVET programs and improve the curriculum in terms of assessments and certification processes.
But not all provinces will have the same challenge in expanding TVET programs.
While some may already have established TVET institutions, others may lack the support in building them.
Thus this workshop is aimed at looking at ways forward to ensure all provinces expand TVET programs in their own capacities.
